In Praise of the New Potato, Spring's Unsung Vegetable Hero

The range of vegetables that show up in the springtime is downright staggering—from bountiful piles of sugar snap peas and spiky globe artichokes to pointy bunches of asparagus. But the real star of the season that doesn't get enough credit? Small, smooth-skinned new potatoes.

"Wait," you say. "It's not winter anymore—I'm done with potatoes." And, look, we totally hear you. We put away the our braising pot, forgot about tough cuts of stew meat, and started avoiding bags of russet potatoes weeks ago. But new potatoes are different.

First of all, new potatoes pack a slightly sweeter flavor than older potatoes. But, most crucially, new potatoes sport much thinner skins. Whether they're roasted with chicken, boiled, or quickly sautéd a handful with fresh herbs and oil, the new potato's tender outer layer will firm up and get crispy—and the skin is delicate enough that you'll actually want to eat it.

And those insides! They hold an incredible amount of moisture, meaning that crispy skin will give way to a creamy center. One of the best way to take advantage of that textural greatness is to quickly boil the potatoes, smash them with a fork, and pan-fry them up in a skillet with a few glugs of good olive oil under they turn golden brown.

New potatoes are also the perfect candidate for one the most iconic outdoor cooking dishes: Potato salad. The waxy flesh ensures that the potato slices holds their shape when cooked, meaning your potato salad won't be a mushy, crumbly mess.

The process of buying new potatoes is pretty similar to any old potato—look for ones that don't have any signs of bruisings or soft spots. The perfect new potato is both dry and firm to the touch, with delicate, papery skins. Once you get them home, store them in a paper bag in the refrigerator and use them within a few days, since they don't keep for quite as long as Russets or Yukon Golds. When it comes time to cook, remember that they're delicate and be gentle when cleaning them—scrub too hard and the skin might start coming off.

Sold yet? Good. You've got the rest of spring and most of summer to get in on one unsung heroes of the farmer's market.